Convertible bulkhead for refrigerator cars



y 1943- A. F. O'CONNOR CONVERTIBLE BULKHEAD FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec;

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July 20, 1943. A. F. O'CONNOR CONVERTIBLE BULKHEAD FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed DSQ. 11, 1941 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I 1 J liwameon- Patented July 20, 1943 CONVERTIBLE BULKHEAD FOR REFRIGERATOR CABS Arthur F. OConnor, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Union Asbestos & Rubber Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 11, 1941, Serial No. 422,473

7 Claims.

The invention relates to refrigerator carsand more particularly to refrigerator cars having a transverse bulkhead forming one of the walls of an ice bunker in the end of the car, the bulkhead being movable from ice bunker forming position to a stored position adjacent one of the car walls. The invention relates particularly to refrigerator cars having movable bulkheads of the type shown in my pending application Serial No. 315,644, file-d January 26, 1940, wherein the bulkhead is movable upon rollers and track members, this method of moving the bulkhead being well known in the art.

The principal object of the invention is to provide improved means for anchoring the bulkhead in its extended or bunker forming position whereby the bulkhead and the anchoring means will effectively resist the horizontal blows received by the bulkhead in service, as by the lading shifting against the bulkhead due to sudden starting and stopping of the car.

It will be understood that the object of moving the bulkhead to an out-of-the-way position is to make available, for lading, the greater portion of the ice bunker space when the car is used to transport commodities which do not require ice bunker refrigeration. It is' estimated that the ice bunkers are actually required not more than 25 per cent of the time and it will be seen that, by storing the bulkheads, a greater load may be hauled than if the cars were equipped with the conventional permanently built-in bulkheads. 7

An object is to provide bulkhead anchoring means which will remain in bulkhead holding position until intentionally released.

A further object is to provide bulkhead an choring means which may be operated from the lading compartment of the car, eliminating the necessity for a man to climb through the hatches and enter the ice bunker compartment to manipulate the anchoring means.

Another object is to provide improved bulkhead anchoring means, the component parts of which are secured to the car, eliminating the possibility of misplacing or losing a part which might render said means inoperative.

A further object is to provide bulkhead locking means the component parts of which are economical to manufacture and which may be readily removed for repair or replacement.

Another object is to provide bulkhead locking means which is located in an cut-of-the-way position in the car and which is not subject to dam:

age by shocks andblows received from the lading or from the ice cakes.

A further object is to provide bulkhead looking means none of the parts of which interfere with the maintenance of flush side walls and lading floor, any projections extending into'the car from said side walls and floor being objectionable and liable to damage lading, such as cartons and boxes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of a part of the end of arefrigerator car, the bulkhead being shown in ice bunker form,- ing position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig.- 1.

. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged, horizonta section taken along line 3 3 of Fig. 2. l

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional View taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3. i

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig.3.

In the drawings, the reference numeral II] indicates the end wall, Ilindicates the sidewall and 14 indicates the floor of -a car, all of which may be of conventional insulated construction. The end portion of the car may be provided with an ice bunker is, separated .from an adjacent lading compartment l8 by a transverse bulkhead 20. The bulkhead 29 may be movable from its extended, ice-bunker forming position to a stored position parallel with and adjacent the end wall Hi, When the lading does not require ice bunker parallel with and adjacent the lower margin. of.

the bulkhead 20 when said bulkhead is in extended position and may comprise an elongated metallic plate having depending flanges along its opposed longitudinal margins. The sill 22 may be aflixed to the floor M, in overlying spaced relationship therewith, by means of spaced apart pedestals 26 which may comprise inverted U- shaped brackets having foot portions rigidly see cured to the car by means of suitable bolts or other fasteners. The sill, 22 may be affixed to the pedestals 26 in any suitable manner, as by bolts, rivets or by welding.

The car floor l4, intermediate the opposed sills 22, (the conventional refrigerator car having an ice bunker in each end of the car) may be provided with the conventional floor racks 28 adapted to support the car lading in overlying spaced relationship with the car floor l4 and providing an air space 30 between the lading and the car floor for air circulation purposes. The floor racks 28 may comprise a series of rack sections extending longitudinally of the car on either side of the longitudinal center of the car and may be hingedly secured to the car whereby the racks on each side of said longitudinal center may be raised or swung from a horizontal operative position to a vertical position parallel with and adjacent the side walls of the car. A relatively narrow floor rack section A may be provided adjacent the sill 22 intermediate sill 22 and the floor racks 28, and may be hingedly secured to the sill 22 whereby it may be swung from lading supporting position to a vertical position parallel with the sill 22.

A floor rack extension B may be provided intermediate the sill 22 and the end wall of the car and may comprise a plurality of rack sections extending transversely of the car, each section being supported adjacent opposed margins thereof upon spaced apart beams 32 extending longitudinally of the car. The beams 32 may be supported adjacent their opposed end portions upon the pedestals 26 and supporting brackets 34, respectively. The beams 32 are adapted to support the floor rack extension B in overlying spaced relationship with the floor of the car and also serve to rigidify the sill 22. A plurality of elongated grate members 36 may be provided in alignment transversely of the car, adjacent the end wall of the car, and may be affixed adjacent their end portions to the spaced apart brackets 34; grate members 36, floor rack extension B, sill 22, floor rack section A and floor racks 28 all having their upper surfaces in coplanar alignment whereby to provide a relatively flush lading floor throughout the car, when the bulkheads are in stored positions.

Each of the separate rack sections which comprise the floor rack extension B may comprise a plurality of parallel spaced apart slats 38 extending transversely of the car, intermediate the sill 22 and the rigid grate members 36, and

unified by means of spaced apart elongated frame members 46 extending perpendicularly to the slats 36 and being aflixed thereto as by welding or other suitable means. The end portions of the frame members 40, adjacent the end of the car, may extend outwardly beyond the margin of the slats 38 nearest the end of the car and I may be provided with spaced apart upstanding ears 42 adapted to coact with spaced apart ears 44 aflixed to the grate members 36 whereby each of the rack sections of floor rack extension B may be hingedly secured to the grate members 36 permitting the raising of said rack sections when the floor beneath the ice bunker requires cleaning The bulkhead 26 may comprise a plurality of vertically extending spaced apart channels 46 and intermediate sheet metal panels 48 unified to form substantially one large metal panel extending from side wall to side wall and from lading floor to ceiling, substantially. A wooden lining 50 may be mounted upon the channels 46 in spaced relationship with the body portions of the sheet metal panels 48 whereby to provide an air duct 52 in the bulkhead 26. The channels 46 may be spaced transversely of the car coincident with the location of the beams 32 and may be provided adjacent their lower end portions with a detent 54 adapted to project downwardly from the bulkhead to a point below the upper surface of the sill 22 whereby, when the bulkhead is moved to extended position, the detent 54 may engage the sill 22 and limit the movement of the bulkhead in a direction away from the end wall of the car. The detent 54 may comprise a flat metallic plate adapted to abut and be rigidly affixed to the lower end of the channel 46 in a horizontal plane, and a vertically extending depending portion of plate configuration with its plane extending longitudinally of the car.

The vertically extending portion of the detent 54 is adapted to project below the lading supporting surface of the sill 22 and floor rack extension B and is adapted to move freely between the adjacent margins of the rack sections of extension B and between the adjacent end portions of the grate members 36, as the bulkhead is moved toward and away from the end wall of the car.

A pair of inverted U-shaped metallic members 56 may be provided upon beam 32 adjacent the sill 22 and may be ailixed to the beam 32 as by welding, one of said members 56 being on one side and the other member 56 being on the opposite side of the detent 54 when the latter abuts the sill 22. The vertical leg portion 58 of the member 56 may be spaced away from the sill 22 a sufficient distance to permit the insertion of a locking bolt 60 between the leg portion 58 and the detent 54 when the detent is in abutting engagement with the sill 22, the locking bolt 60 being adapted to engage the leg portions 58 of the pair of members 56 whereby to prevent the movement of the detent 54 in a direction toward the end wall of the car. An angular member 62 may be provided intermediate the vertical legs of each of the members 56 and may have an upstanding wall portion 64 in parallel spaced relationship with the adjacent leg portion 58 whereby to provide guiding means for the sliding locking bolt 60.

A lever 66 may be provided for operating the locking bolt 66 and may comprise a flat metallic bar lying in a horizontal plane below the locking bolt and normally disposed at an angle thereto. When the locking bolt 66 is in position to hold the detent 54 against movement toward the end of the ca the lever 66 may be parallel with and adjacent the beam 32 and may be pivotally secured adjacent one of its end portions to the beam 32, the free end portion of the lever extending transversely of and beyond the sill 22 whereby the lever may be operated by a person in the lading compartment of the car, after raising the hinged floor rack section A. The looking bolt 60 may comprise an elongated square bar and may be provided adjacent one of its end portions with a laterally extending pin or dowel 68 adapted to extend downwardly through an elongated aperture 10 provided in the lever 66 intermediate its opposed end portions. A guide bar 12 may be affixed to one of the depending flanges of the sill 22 and may comprise an elongated bar lying in a horizontal plane parallel with the depending flange of the sill 22 and spaced therefrom in position to underlie and support the free end portion of the lever 66, the guide 7 barbeing provided with upturned end portions 'aflixed to the sill 22, as by welding or riveting. A laterally extending ear" may be affixed to the side of the beam 32 and the fixed end of the lever 66 may be pivotally secured to the ear 14 by means of a suitable pivot bolt or pin 16.

i The hinged floor rack section A may comprise a plurality of spaced apart slats extending transversely of the car and supported upon spaced apart stringers 18 extending longitudinally of the car. Certain of the. stringers 18 may be used to limit the movement of the lever 56, as when the locking bolt 60 is holding the detent 54 againstmovement toward the end wall of the car, the stringers 18 being adapted to lie closely adjacent the free end of the lever 66 When the floor rack section is in horizontal load bearing position. i

* In order to reinforce the leg portions 58 of the members 56 a rib 80 may be provided and may comprise a triangular shapedmetal platehaving a vertical margin affixed to the leg portion 58 and a horizontal margin affixed to the beam The free end 82 of the locking bolt 60 may be tapered in a suitable manner to insure itsentering the member 56 adjacent said free end 82.

A plurality of inverted U-shaped members 84 may be provided intermediate the margin of the floor rack extension B and the side Wall of the car to serveas an extension of the lading fioorand members 84 may be affixed to the adjacent beam 32 as by welding.

Operation of the convertible bulkhead Assuming the car to be in use for capacity loading, (with the bulkheads in stored position against the end walls of the car) and it is desired to convert the car to anice'bunker car, the operator may first raise the floor rack section A and then move each of the levers 56 to a position where the locking bolts 60 are in a retracted position, whereby the detent 54 may be moved to abutting engagement with the sill 22. The bulkhead 20 may then be moved away from the end of the car until the detent 54 engages the sill 22, the upper portion of the bulkhead being provided with suitable stop means to maintain the bulkhead in vertical position, said stop means for the upper portion of the bulkhead being of numerous kinds and well known in the art. When the bulkhead has reached its fully extended position the operator again raises the floor rack section A and moves r each of the levers 66 in a direction to move the looking bolts in a direction whereby they I will abut the detents 54 and hold the detents against movement toward the end wall of the car. After the locking bolts 60 are in detent engaging position the operator lowers the floor rack section A and the stringers 18 thereof will hold the levers 66 against accidental movement in a direction toward releasing the locking bolts 60. It will be understood that the bulkhead may be moved to stored position by practically the same operation of the floor rack section A and the reverse movement of the levers 66.

The invention is not limited to the exact structure herein shown and described as it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous variations may be made in the illustrated structure without departing from the scope of my invention, such as mounting the locking bolt on the bulkhead, operating a plurality of the bolts by onelever and other changes of this nature.

The grate members 38 next adjacent the sill 22 may be provided with apertures 24 whereby the chilled air passing downwardly through the air duct 52 of the bulkhead (in extended position) may pass through the apertures and enter the air space 30 below the lading supporting floor. Similar apertures may be provided in the fixed grate member 36 in order to permit a descending current of air to pass downwardly through the air duct 52 of the bulkhead (in stored position) and into the air space below the floor rack extension B, through the last mentioned apertures.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having a transverse bulkhead forming a wall of an ice bunker and being movable to a stored position adjacent the end wall of the car, a fixed member on the car adjacent the floor thereof adapted to engage and limit the movement of said bulkhead in one di rection, a movable abutment upon the car adjacent said fixed member adapted to engage and limit the movement of said bulkhead in the 'opposite direction, and a lever pivotally mounted upon the car adapted to coact with said movable abutment whereby said abutment may be selectively moved into and out of operative holding engagement with said bulkhead by manually moving said lever in opposite directions respectively.

2. In a refrigerator car having an ice bunker in the end thereof and a lading compartment separated by a transverse bulkhead movable to a stored position adjacent the end wall of the car, a transverse sill rigidly affixed to the car adjacent the floor thereof adapted to abut the lower portion of said bulkhead and limit its movement in a direction away from the end wall of the car, a movable abutment secured to the car adapted to abut said lower portion and limit the movement of said bulkhead in the opposite direction, and a lever pivotally secured to the car in position to selectively move said abutment into and out of holding engagement with said bulkhead by moving said lever in opposite directions respectively, the free end portion of said lever extending normally toward and being manually operable from said lading compartment,

3. In a refrigerator car having an ice bunker in the end thereof and an adjacent lading compartment separated by a transverse bulkhead movable to a stored position adjacent the end Wall of the car, a transverse still rigidly aflixed to the car adjacent the floor thereof adapted to engage the lower portion. of said bulkhead and limit its movement in a direction away from said end wall, a lading supporting floor adjacent said sill movable from a horizontal lading supporting position to a vertical inoperative position, a movable abutment secured to the car adapted to abut said lower portion and limit the movement of said bulkhead in the opposite direction, a lever pivotally secured to the car and operatively connected with said movable abutment whereby said abutment may be selectively moved into and out of operative holding engagement with said bulkhead by moving said lever in opposite directions, respectively,'said lading supporting floor having portions thereon adapted to limit the movement of said lever when said supporting floor is in position to support the lading.

4. In a refrigerator car having an ice bunker in the end thereof and an adjacent lading compartment separated by a bulkhead, said bulkhead being movable to a stored position adjacent the end wall of the car, a transverse sill in said car adjacent the lower margin of said bulkhead having means thereon adapted to abut and limit the movement of the bulkhead in one direction, a movable abutment mounted in said car adapted to abut a portion of said lower margin adapted to limit the movement of the bulkhead in the opposite direction, a lever pivotally mounted adjacent and having cooperative engagement with said abutment whereby movement of Said lever in opposite directions will move said abutment into and out of bulkhead restraining positions respectively, and a detent mounted in the car movable into selective positions adapted to limit the movement of said lever in one direction and to permit the movement of said lever in said last named direction, respectively.

5-. In a refrigerator car having a convertible ice bunker in an end portion thereof, a transverse bulkhead separating said ice bunker from an adjacent lading compartment and being movable to a stored position adjacent the end wall of the car, a transverse sill rigidly affixed to the car adjacent the floor thereof and adjacent the lower margin of said bulkhead, floor racks intermediate said sill and said end wall adapted to support car lading in overlying spaced relationship with the car floor, said racks having spaces intermediate their adjacent margins longitudinally of the car, a detent on said bulkhead adjacent its lower margin adapted to abut said sill and limit the movement of said bulkhead in a direction away from said end wall, said detent projecting below the lading supporting surface of said racks and being adapted to move longitudinally of the car within one of said spaces, a movable abutment secured to the car adapted to abut said detent and limit its movement in a direction toward said end wall, said abutment being selectively movable into and out of detent engaging position.

6. In a refrigerator car having an ice bunker in one end thereof and a lading compartment separated by a transverse bulkhead, said bulkhead being movable to a stored position adjacent a wall of said car, a transverse sill mounted in said car adjacent and being adapted to engage a portion of the lower margin of said bulkhead and limit its movement in one direction, a movable abutment mounted in said car adapted to engage said portion and limit the movement of the bulkhead in the opposite direction, a lever mounted in the car adjacent and being adapted to selectively move said abutment into and out of bulkhead engaging positions, said lever being manually operable from the lading compartment side of the bulkhead, and a lading floor in overlying spaced relationship with the car fioor movable from a horizontal load supporting position to a vertical position, said lading floor having portions thereon adapted to limit the movement of said lever in one direction when said lading floor is in horizontal load supporting position.

7. In a refrigerator car having a transverse bulkhead forming a wall of an ice bunker and movable longitudinally of the car, a fixed member on said car adjacent the lower margin of said bulkhead, said bulkhead being provided adjacent its lower margin with a rigidly affixed downwardly extending member terminating at its lower end below said fixed member, said downwardly extending member being adapted to abut said fixed member whereby to limit the movement of the bulkhead in one direction longitudinally of the car, and a horizontally disposed slidable locking bar mounted adjacent said fixed member adapted for selective movement into and out of position engaging said downwardly extending member whereby to limit the movement of the bulkhead in the opposite direction longitudinally of the car.

ARTHUR F. OCONNOR. 

